The body of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) reported to have been frozen in a Saudi morgue for almost six months has finally been brought home to Misamis Occidental in the southern Philippines.
The dead OFW was identified as Emy Pepito, who went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 8, 2008 to work as a stone mason.
Just four days into his work, he was buried alive in sand mixed with boiling asphalt while he was working on the foundation of a building. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital he was brought to.
Since then, his family and even migrant groups have been awaiting and appealing for the repatriation of his body.
On Wednesday, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) told GMANews.TV that Pepito’s body has finally been brought home.
“Naiuwi na siya sa province niya, nakarating na siya ‘dun kahapon pa [He has been brought home to his province, he arrived there yesterday],” said Mario Antonio of OWWA’s Repatriation and Assistance Division.
He said the OFW’s body arrived in Manila on Monday at about 2 p.m. on board a Saudi Airlines flight and was immediately brought to his province.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, earlier confirmed that Pepito’s employer – Assol Al Benaa of General Contracting – sent the Filipino worker’s family more than 3,000 Saudi riyals or about P40,000.
This was after the employer sent a condolence letter to the family saying that Pepito died while on duty and that they will also send all his medical reports from the hospital and the police.
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